Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Since my husband and I were married (almost 10 years ago - wow!) we've never had a "grown up" master bedroom. Never a true, from scratch, non-hand-me-down, designed space. I think it's about time. So right now, while I'm in a bit of a lull at work, I've been spending spare time perusing our stacks and stacks of fabrics and wallpapers to get inspiration for our dream room.

I've been mulling over two distinctly different design concepts: bold & zany vs. restful & pretty. Obviously, I'm not close to making any decisions since I can't even decide how I want the room to make me feel, though I'm leaning toward option No. 2.

At first I had in mind putting a bold, geometric wallpaper on an accent wall, maybe with some metallic accents and maybe with a mirrored writing desk next to the bed as a writing table. I bought a painting back in the fall from Memphis' super cool Cooper-Young Festival, and I thought about using that as a springboard for my design, but I've since decided the only reason I wanted to do that is because I've yet to find a place in my house for this awesome painting. I think I'll actually be disappointed if I let something I didn't buy specifically for that space dictate the design direction, or even color direction, in the room. The painting is an abstract paisley design with bright greens, teals, blues and browns. So, no, I'm not letting that limit me.

Here is what I do have to work around in the space: 1, a king-size bed. Rather, a mattress and box springs on a metal frame. I've yet to commit to an actual bed. 2, a dresser, chest of drawers and lingerie chest, all matchy-matchy. Yuck, I know. I bought them in a moment of furniture panic when our house had lingered on the market for a year and we decided one reason was our total lack of staging. And that's it. And within No. 2, a piece or 2 from the "suite" might be redistributed elsewhere in my house.

So far, here's what I'm thinking when it comes to direction. Option 1, bold & zany, would entail a black-and-white graphic print wallpaper on one wall, with custom draperies in an equally bold print, as yet undetermined, on an adjacent wall. I definitely want a writing desk on one side of the bed as a bedside table, and I'm leaning toward the West Elm parsons desk (above) for either look. I think a Bungalow 5 Chloe side chair in a fun color would be a fantastic match for the desk.

Option 2, restful & pretty, would consist of a gorgeous, luxurious wallpaper by Seabrook in a serene, restful spa blue overlaid with an abstract rose print that brings to mind Charles Rennie Mackintosh. I'd pair it with an upholstered headboard, and my current favorite fabric is a cream linen with squiggly taupe lines. Draperies might consist of a printed linen with a leading edge in soft blue or green.

So, it's time to run, and I'm just in the mull-it-all-over stage right now, anyway. I'll keep the updates coming as this design progresses!

About Me

I'm a writer and residential interior designer, and I combine the two careers by writing about homes, design trends and lifestyle topics for newspapers and magazines. One of these days, I hope to add "published author" to the list of hats I wear.